1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a differential device for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-364729 (referred to as “Patent Document No. 1, hereinafter) discloses a differential device. The differential device includes an outer differential casing into which driving torque of a motor is inputted through a ring gear fixed to a flange part of the outer differential casing, an inner differential casing arranged so as to be rotatable in relation to the outer differential casing, a bevel-gear type differential mechanism connected to the inner differential casing, an intermittent mechanism for intermitting the driving torque between the inner differential casing and the outer differential casing and an actuator for operating the intermittent mechanism. Note that the outer differential casing is divided into two pieces on the border of the flange part in order to assemble built-in components into the casing. The actuator is arranged on one side of the outer differential casing in opposition to the flange part in the axial direction of the outer differential casing. This publication will be referred to as “Patent Document No. 1”, hereinafter.
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2004-100924 (referred to as “Patent Document No. 2”, hereinafter) discloses an electromagnetic actuator, and a differential device and a power interrupting device both adopting the electromagnetic actuator. In the publication, the differential device includes a differential casing into which driving torque of a motor is inputted through a ring gear fixed to a flange part of the differential casing, a bevel-gear type differential mechanism connected to the differential casing and an actuator for operating the differential mechanism. The differential casing is divided into two pieces on the border of the flange part in order to assemble built-in components into the casing. The actuator is arranged on one side of the differential casing in opposition to the flange part in the axial direction of the differential casing.
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-106281 (referred to as “Patent Document No. 3”, hereinafter) discloses a differential system and a method of switching the operational mode of the system. This differential system includes a differential casing into which driving torque of a motor is inputted through a ring gear fixed to a flange part of the differential casing, a differential mechanism into which the driving torque is inputted from the differential casing, a differential lock mechanism and an actuator for operating the differential locking mechanism. The differential casing is divided into two pieces on the border of the flange part in order to assemble built-in components into the casing. The actuator is arranged on the same side as the flange part in the axial direction of the differential casing.